Snap fastener attaching machine



8-' 23, 1932- G. A. HOLMES.

SNAP FASTENER' ATTACHING momma Filed May 10, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug.23, 19321 a. A. HOLMES 1,873,390

I SNAP FASTENER ATTACHING MACHINE Filed May 10. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2Aug. 23, 1932.

' AJHQLMEs -1,873,890

HING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Izivezaioi'iaeaeuiflozaaaeo g- 1932" G. A. HOLMES SNAP FASTENER ATTACHING MACHINE FiledMay 10, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 "7 FIZZ;

Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES GEORGE A. HOLMES, OF NEWTON,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO UNITED-CARR FAS- TEN'EB CORPORATION, 01CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 01" MASSACHUSETTS SNAP FASTENERATTAGHING MACHINE Application filed Kay 10, 1930. Serial No. 451,498.

My invention aims to provide improvements in snap fastener attachingmachines and is more particularly directed to improvements in the meansfor setting fastener elements to an article of manufacture.

In the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my inventionFigure 1 is apart section and part elevation of a portion of a machineembodying 111% invention ig.'2 is a part section and part elevation ofthe setting means and associated parts of the machine as viewed from thefront, the parts bein shown in the positions assumed when the astenerparts are completely attached to an article;

Fig. 3 is a view of portions of the setting means shown in Fig. 2 beforethe attaching operation begins;

Fig. 4 is a view of the parts shown'in Fig. 3, the parts being shown inpositions assumed when the washer is being forced over the head of astud;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2, the upper settingmeans being in the position shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5, part of-thespring being broken away;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of portions of the washer feed means and washerholding device;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of portions of the stud feed means and the studholding device;

,Fig. 9 is a vertical section on the line 99 of Fig. 3 showing the pushrods, associated pathways and fastener elements moved by the push rods;

Fig. 10 is a View of the parts shown in Fig. 4, but showing the relationthereof after the stud has been expanded and set and about to bereleased from the upper setting member; and

Fig. 11 is a section of the fastener installation showing a cardboardwasher in cross section and showing the shape of the stud after it hasbeen set.

Referring to the embodiment of my invention illustrated b the drawings Ihave shown somewhat in etail my improved fastener settin means, theoperation thereof and only sufilcient other parts of a machine for afull and clear understanding of the invention.

While I have shown setting means particu. 5

and a ho ding device for the stud 1 formed by the fingers 7+7 normallypressed toward each other by 'eprin s 8-8, all of which are shown inFig. 2. ach finger has a curved groove 7 into which the stud fits, asshown in Figs. 3 and 8. 1

The setting member 4. is carried by a block 9 slidably mounted in theframe 10 of the machine and is moved toward and away from the lowersetting member 5 by means of a crank arm 11 (Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6)connected to the main drive shaft 12 of the machine which is driven fromthe pulley 13. The laterally yieldable fingers 66 are attached to ablock 14 slidably mounted in the block 9, thereby providing a lostmotion connection between the washer holding device and the settingmember 4 so that one may move relative to the other. The lower ends ofthe fingers have jaw portions 15 provided with opposed grooves 15 curved(Fig. 7) to receive and position a washer 3. The upper setting i a stud1 (Figs. 2 and 5). An adjustable.

member 4 has a bore 16 to receive the head of reading member 17 iscarried by the setting member 4 and has a cone-shaped end 18 extendinginto the bore 16 for purposes hereinafter described.

Referring now to the lower setting member 5 and stud-holding device, Ihave shown (Figs. 1 and 2) the setting member 5 as being movably mountedin the frame 10 in line with the settin member 4 and normally ressedupwardly a spring 19 (Fig. 1). he spring pressed gers 7-7 are pivotallymounted upon the end of a block 20 (Fig. 3) which in' turn is pivoted atthe other end gon brackets 21 (one of which is shown in g. 1) This block20 is adjustable by means of a set screw 22 (Fig. 1) which is normallypressed into contact with the frame 10 by means of a spring 23interposed between the block 20 and the frame 10.

The washer parts 3 are supplied to a pathwa 24 leading to the holdingfingers 6-6 (Fig. 7) from a hopper 25 (Fig. 1) down a chute 26 (Figs. 2and 7 which intersects the pathway 24 at right angles thereto.

The stud. parts 1 are supplied to a pathway 27 in the block 20 by meansof a chute 28 leading from a second hopper (not shown). The chute 28 hasa groove 29 which is in line with the pathway 27. A positioning device30 (Fig. 8) is carried by the chute 28 presents a portion 31 whichprevents the stud members from moving forward when entering the groove29, except when they are pushed forward.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed for moving the washers '3 andstuds 1 along the pathways 24 and 27. I have shown a simple mechanismfor this purpose compris ing a sliding block 32 mounted upon the frame10 and carrying two push rods 33 and 34, as shown in Figs. 1, 7 and 8.The block 32 is reciprocated in timed relation with the block 9 by meansof a cam 35 driven by suitable gearing (Fig. 1) from the main driveshaft 12. The cam 35 acts upon a pivoted lezver 36 connected to theblock 32 by a link 3 The operation of the setting means and as sociatedmechanism above described is as follows :Assuming that the machine isconnected to a source of power and is ready for operation and the pushrods 33 and 34 have moved a washer 3 and a stud 1 to their respectiveholding means, a shown in Fig. 3, a form of cardboard 2 or the likehaving a preformed hole 38 therethrough is inserted in the throat 39 ofthe machine with the stud shank passing through the hole 38. As thesetting means begins to operate the block 9 is moved toward the lowersetting member 5, thereby moving with it the washer holding means with ahat washer 3 between the fingers 6-6 and the upper setting member 4 inthe relation shown in Fig. 3. As the washer approaches the stud member 1held between the fingers 77 the head of the stud enters the aperture inthe washer. As there is a lost motion connection between the washerholding means and the setting part 4, a point will be reached when thefrictional engagement between the fingers 66 and the block 9 will beovercome by the attempt to press the washer 3 over the head of thestud 1. When such a point is reached the downward movement of the washerholding means ceases and the setting member 4 continues its movementtoward the setting member 5 until it engages the washer 3 and forces itover the head of the stud, as shown in Fig. 4. In order to make surethat the washer will assume a position against the cardboard 2, with thecentral cylindrical portion located in the aperture in the cardboard,the head of the stud is squeezed by the wall 16 as it enters the bore 16of the member 4, thereby contracting the head and shank of the stud sothat the washer falls freely into position. After the washer 3 hasdropped into position upon the cardboard 2, the upper setting member 4continues its downward movement and the cone-shaped end 18 of theexpanding member 17 enters the space in the head of the stud at theintersection of the slots 40 and spreads the head and shank therebypermanently setting the yieldable portions of the stud into divergingrelation (Fig. 11) and wedging the "wall of the shank against the wallof the central cylindrical portion of the washer, as shown in Fig. 2.Thus, the washer 3 is frictionally held in place sothat it cannot slideup and down the shank of the stud. During this last mentioned portion ofthe setting operation the upper setting member 4 engages the washer andpresses it together with the cardboard 2 downwardly. As the cardboard 2rests against the pivoted block 20 it will also be moved downwardlyswinging about the pivot 21* until the base of the stud, which isreleased from the groove 7* in the fingers 7, rests against the lowersetting memher 5, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus the two parts of thefastening device are pressed against opposite sides of the cardboard 2and any variation in the thickness in the cardboard is compensated forby the ability of the lower setting member to yield against the pressureof the spring 19.

During the return of the upper setting die 4 the shoulder 41 within thedie 4 engages the shoulder under the head of the stud as best shown inFig. 10, and lifts the cardboard 2 and fastener parts upwardly until itmeets the plate 42 which acts as a stop and pulls the head of the studfree from the die member 4 as that member continues its upward movement.The plate 42 is the one in which the pathway 24 (Fig. 7) is provided.While the cone-shaped end 18 of the expanding its asvaseo member 17permanently sets the stud member into a shape as shown in Fig. 11 fromits normal shape prior to attachment as shown in Fig. 3, neverthelessthe yieldable portions of the stud are free to expand and contract forengagement with and disengagement from a cooperating socket. With thisin mind, it will be readily understood that as the upper die 4 movesupwardly relative to the stud, after the setting operation, from aposition shown in Fig. 2 to a position shown in Fig. 10, a continuationof that movement after the installation meets with the resistance of theplate 42 will contract the stud and pull it free from the shoulder 41 ofthe upper die 4.

As previously stated there is a lost motion connection between thewasher holding means and the upper die 4. Therefore, in order that thegrooves 15 in the jaw members 15 may stop in line with the end of thepathway 24 in the plate 42, I have provided a pin 43 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6)projecting from the block 14 through a slot 44 in the cover plate 45attached to the frame 10 of the machine, as best shown in Fig. 5.Adjustable members in the form of set screws 46 and 47 (Figs 5 and 6)are carried by the plate 45 and form stops to govern the distance oftravel of the. washer holding means in each direction. Thus the upperstop 46 may be adjusted so that the groove 15 will align accurately withthe pathway 24. A spring 48 attached to the pin 43 and a pin 49 assistsin returning the washer holding means to its uppermost position.

My improved setting mechanisms and associated parts are automatic inoperation, simple in construction and durable and while I have shown anddescribed a preferred embodiment of the same I do not wish to be limitedthereby, because the scope of my invention is best defined in thefollowing claims.

Claims:

1. A snap fastener attaching machine having means for securing a snapfastener stud and an attaching part to a support, and means for feedingthe stud and the attaching part to the securing means, said securingmeans including a holding mechanism for the stud, a holding mechanismfor the attaching part, means operable to move one holding mechanismtoward the other whereby the attaching part may be engaged with thestud, a device movable relative to both holding mechanisms to completeattachment of the stud and attaching part to a support, and spreadingmeans located in position to spread the head of the stud during thelatter part of the attaching movement of said device.

2. A snap fastener attaching machine having means for securing a snapfastener stud and an attaching part to a support, and means for feedingthe stud and the attaching part to the securing means, said securingmeans including a holding mechanism for the stud,

a holding mechanism for the attaching part, means operable to move oneholding mechanism toward the other whereby the attaching part may beengaged with the stud, a

device movable relative to both holding mechanisms to completeattachment of the stud and attaching part to a support, and spreadingmeans carried by said device located in position to spread the head ofthe stud during the latter part of the attaching movement of saiddevice.

3. A machine for attaching yieldable snap fastener studs to cardboard orthe like by means of washers snapped over the heads of the studsprojecting through holes in the cardboard, said machine having studsupporting means, washer supporting means, a mechanism operable toproduce relative movement between the stud holding means and washerholding means whereby the washer and stud are secured together with thecardboard between them, and a device for spreading the yieldable studafter the washer has been attached thereto.

4. A machine for attaching yieldable snap fastener studs to cardboard orthe like by means of washers snapped over the heads of the studsprojecting through holes in the cardboard, said machine having studsupporting means, washer supporting means, a mechanism operable toproduce relative movement between the stud holding means and washerholding means whereby the washer and stud are secured together with thecardboard between them, and a cone-shaped member associated with thewasher holding means and adapted to expand the yieldable portion of thestud against the washer.

5. A snap fastener attaching machine having means for attaching a snapfastener part and an attaching part to a support, said means including amovable yieldable hold- .ing means for one of said parts, pivotedholding means for the other part, setting mem bers including a devicemovable relative to both holding means to remove the part held by theyieldable holding means and secure the said fastener part and attachingpart to a support, means providing a lost motion connection between theyieldable holding means and the said device whereby one may moverelative to the other upon completion of the movement of said other in agiven direction,

and a pivotally mounted part having an end terminating adjacent to oneof said setting members and supporting said pivoted holding means onsaid end.

6. A snap fastener attaching machine having means for attaching a snapfastener part and an attaching part to a support, said means including apivotally mounted yieldable holding means for one of said parts, holdingmeans for the other part, setting members including a device movablerelative to both holding means to remove the part 4 reven e GEORGE A.HOLMES.

